Re: So many jobs want CURRENT security clearances

["Marc A. Santacroce" <epubs -at- astound -dot- net>]

I'm equally frustrated about the security clearance issue, especially 
when I know I would be a great fit, and could use my USAF experience in 
a number of defense and security related jobs.  I too held TS/SCI with 
special accesses, but company recruiters told me that if it's been more 
than 15 years they won't even consider me. It may be ageism in 
disguise, but I think it's lack of resources.

My understanding of the clearance process is that a company must have a 
requirement , and a billet before an individual can be processed for a 
clearance. The requirements is in the form of an existing contract 
requiring a clearance. The billet (requiring a clearance) must be a 
funded position. I suspect that company's advertise for employees even 
before they have the requirement and the billet finalized. It's much 
like résumé gathering pending future positions.

Special access can be just a matter of being briefed in on a program 
and signing the non-disclosure forms. SECRET used to be a shoo-in, with 
only a National Agency Check (NAC) being performed to make sure the 
candidate wasn't a felon; I don't know how long that takes now. TS and 
SCI took longer, mine took over a year, but I had lived abroad for many 
years.

I think government investigators are just stretched too thin to conduct 
timely investigations. The last I discussed with a knowledgeable 
person, the backlog was two years—that's to start the process. Of 
course, some people can get emergency access if their skills are 
needed. I would think the Bush administration would have streamlined 
this process in the wake of 9/11, (such as soliciting former military 
an other agency personnel),  but then there are a lot of things I think 
could have been done differently.

Man I feel better now that I've vented,


Marc A. Santacroce
Owner/Senior Technical Writer
ePubs, Inc.

epubs -at- astound -dot- net